Fresh Violence In Manipur: 13 Found Dead In Village After Gunfight

Imphal: It’s been seven months since ethnic clashes broke out between Meitei and Kuki communities.

Despite improvement in the situation, complete normalcy has not yet returned as violence continues to erupt in the north-eastern state from time to time.

Monday afternoon saw a recurrence of violence in which at least 13 people were killed in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district.

According to officials, information was received around noon that a firefight had broken out between two groups of militants at Leithu village, near Saibol in Tengnoupal district.

“The nearest security forces were about 10 km away from this place. Once our forces moved in and reached the place, they found 13 bodies in Leithu village. The forces did not find any weapons next to the bodies,” an officer of security forces said.

The identity of the deceased couldn’t be confirmed.

Police have started an investigation.

Around 185 people have lost their lives and at least 50,000 were left homeless since May.

It was on Sunday that authorities had lifted the ban on internet services except in some districts in the border state.